Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve the provision of youth services in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire.

As set out in section 507B of the Education Act 1996, local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people. At the Autumn Budget, we announced £1.3 billion of extra funding through the Local Government Finance Settlement for the next financial year.

This Government is committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential and recognises the vital role that youth services and activities play in improving their life chances and wellbeing. That is why, on 12 November 2024, the Secretary of State announced the launch of a new National Youth Strategy coproduced with young people, which will prioritise delivering better coordinated youth services and policy at a local, regional and national level.

Alongside this, the Government will be allocating over £85 million of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces for young people. This includes launching the new £26 million Better Youth Spaces fund (equipment and small refurbishments for youth clubs, led by young people) and the completion of Youth Investment Fund projects such as youth clubs in communities that need them. We will also be launching the Local Youth Transformation pilot, which will provide tools, guidance, peer challenge and funding to build back local authorities’ lost capability in the youth space.